The Quaternary Geoscience Research Group at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (FMIPA UI), is a multidisciplinary research collective dedicated to studying Earth’s most recent geological period — the Quaternary — spanning the last ~2.6 million years to the present day.
We combine expertise in sedimentary trace-metal geochemistry (with a focus on mercury as a proxy for volcanism and environmental pollution), carbonate and deep-sea sedimentology, engineering geology and geo-hazard mitigation, and Quaternary geochronology. This breadth allows us to reconstruct past environmental changes, monitor the impacts of modern industrial activities, and translate scientific findings into actionable knowledge for communities and policymakers.
Our group maintains active international collaborations with leading institutions across the UK and China, and is committed to building Indonesia’s capacity in environmental geoscience through cutting-edge research, postgraduate training, and community outreach.
To become Indonesia’s leading research group in Quaternary environmental geoscience — generating world-class, impactful science that bridges Earth’s geological past with present-day environmental challenges, and cultivating a new generation of Indonesian geoscientists with global reach.
Our Mission
Conduct rigorous, internationally recognized research in sedimentary mercury geochemistry, deep-sea trace metal cycling, carbonate sedimentology, geo-hazard assessment, and Quaternary geochronology — advancing Indonesia’s contribution to global Earth science.
Build and sustain international research networks through active collaboration with world-leading institutions (University of Oxford, Comenius University, Monash University, University of Queensland, Earth Observatory of Singapore, Chinese Academy of Sciences) to attract competitive global funding.
Develop analytical and methodological capacity in Indonesia — including state-of-the-art mercury analysis (LUMEX RA-915M), cosmogenic nuclide geochronology (¹⁰Be/⁹Be), and geothermal monitoring — by creating open training resources such as the HgVOLC teaching module suite.
Translate science into societal impact by contributing to environmental policy on industrial pollution (especially nickel mining in Sulawesi), geo-hazard mitigation through the CREDO program, and public science communication through the Geoscience Open Day.
Mentor and empower the next generation of Indonesian Earth scientists, with a particular commitment to supporting women in geoscience and engaging undergraduate and postgraduate students in internationally collaborative research projects.
Mercury cycling in marine sediments, deep-sea Hg burial rates, volcanic Hg emissions, carbonate diagenesis, and trace metal proxies for past environments.
Landslide susceptibility mapping, tsunami hazard assessment, geological mapping, and engineering geology for disaster risk reduction in Java and beyond.
Community-based hazard education (CREDO program), Geoscience Open Day, Science Panel for Borneo, and development of open-access geoscience teaching resources.